The goal of this project is to develop a database of the Drosophila genome as a resource for the scientific community. The great utility and special advantages of Drosophila as an experimental system has been reflected in its choice as one of the few model organisms for the Human Genome Initiative. The information available on Drosophila genetics and molecular biology is already overwhelming, and new global research projects, such as those supported by the Human Genome Office promise to make huge amounts of new data available to the community. In the past, databases have been prepared as flat file catalogs of existing information on some aspects of the Drosophila genome. It is the view of this proposal that it is now essential to the continued exploitation of Drosophila as a model system to develop a continuously curated database of the most important information on the Drosophila genome. In this multi-site collaboration, we propose to develop a research resource which will meet this need. 1. We will develop a relational database structure, which we will call FlyBase, for the Drosophila genome. 2. We will set up a curatorial system for continuously incorporating new information on the Drosophila genome, with assigned responsibilities for the various data tables. at four university locations. 3. We will develop structures, query systems and front ends for the retrieval of information from FlyBase. 4. We will distribute FlyBase to the community in several fashions. It will be accessible on-line, by distribution by CD-ROM or other electronic media, and by occasional hard copy excerpts comprising issues of the Drosophila Information Service (DIS).